Stored pressure medium container



A MANHARTSBERGER STORED PRESSURE MEDIUM CONTAINER Filed Jan. 19, 1950 vSept 7, 1954 h. ll 11!.

' INVENTOR. 14L5RTMAIVH M TAM Patented Sept. 7, 1954 STORED PRESSUREMEDIUM CONTAINER Albert Manhartsberger, Bloomfield, N. J., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Worcester Pressed Steel Company,Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 19,1950, Serial No. 139,515

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to stored pressure fluid medium containerssuch as are used for pressurizing vessels, inflating tires or the like.

The containers are charged with an expansible fluid medium at a highpressure and are opened with self-contained puncturing means to releasethe pressure medium. Heretofore, such containers have been provided butbecause of their high cost have not been practical as throwaway units.The present invention aims to provide an inexpensive stored pressurefluid medium container which is adapted to be discarded after beingused.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stored pressure fluidmedium container in a one-piece unit with a simple puncturing meansincorporated therewith and adapted to be maintained in position afterthe puncturing operation has been completed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stored pressure fluidmedium container adaptable for use as a tire inflator.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a stored pressure fluidmedium container simple and economical in manufacture, efficient inoperation and rugged in construction.

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects are accomplishedby providing a onepiece container having a weakened portion of its wallsurrounded by a well to provide an outlet and to enclose a puncturingmember, the unit adapted to be threadedly engaged with a valve stem orthreaded discharge pipe so that the puncturing member is automaticallymoved into position to open the container and release the stored fluidpressure medium.

The construction in accordance with the invention is advantageous inthat a stored pressure medium container is provided which may be carriedfor long periods of time, such as in a motor vehicle, and is alwaysavailable for instant use, the unit being discarded after being used.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and from. the accompanying drawing which shows, byway of example, an embodiment of the invention. For a betterunderstanding of the invention, reference may be had to the attacheddrawing and to the following description of a device in accordance withthe invention.

- In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a stored pressure fluid medium container inaccordance with the invention. a The ends have been shown as broken awayto illustrate the positioning of the puncturing member at one end andthe seal at the other end.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion ofthe container including the puncturing member before the container hasbeen punctured.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but in which the container hasbeen attached to a tire valve or other discharge means which hasactuated the puncturing member into position to open the container.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a stored pressure fluid mediumcontainer I, in ac cordance with the invention, which may be made ofsteel or other suitable material able to withstand the pressure of thestored fluid medium. The container I may have any desired shape to suitthe operatin conditions under which it is to be used, a tubular formbeing illustrated.

The container I may be made by any suitable process and is formed withits upper end having a wall portion 2 of reduced thickness. As may beseen in Figure 2 of the drawing, the wall portion 2 has its puncturingarea thinner at the center, gradually thickening out towards the edge orperiphery and finally blending with a substantial radius into the mainbody of the container I of which the puncturable area or portionofreduced wall thickness 2 is an integral part. A'

, much stronger and more satisfactory puncturable area is obtained whichpermits the use of a thinner or Weaker center portion at the locationwhere the piercing pin normally enters, thereby considerably reducingthe necessary piercing force. In prior devices, in so far as is known,the puncturable areas have a uniform thickness, and if made too thin,have a tendency to fail on the periphery. The disclosed construction, byreason of its bridge-truss-like form eliminates the tendency to fail onthe edge. About the reduced wall portion 2, the wall of the container isextended to form a neck 3 for an outlet well 4. The inner surface of theneck 3 is threaded as indicated at 5 to attach the container to a tirevalve 6 or to any other threaded discharge means. The inner end of theoutlet well 4 is smooth to slideably receive a guiding extension orskirt "I of a puncturing member 8. In order to retain it in positionafter. being operated, the puncturing member 8 is pref: erably made withan enlarged head 9 providing a reduced portion I0 between the enlargedhead and the skirt I. In order to prevent leakage past the skirt I,packing means are provided including an annular gasket recess I2 formedabout the wall of the skirt I and adapted to receive an O-ring gasketI4. The gasket recess I2 is made somewhat larger along the length of theskirt I than the diameter of the O-ring I4 and slightly less in depththan the diameter of the O-ring so as to deform the O-ring into aslightly flattened shape as illustrated to provide a better seal underpressure conditions.

The upper end of the guiding extension or skirt 1 is formed with areduced end portion'to provide a second recess I5 adapted to receive asemiflexible gasket ring I6 made of a tough mate- 3 rial comparativelythin and with outer and inner diameters -Oi'- .sizes:.s0.-that the ringi frictionally retainedin position between the wall of the recess l5 andthe threaded portion 5 of the outlet 4. By reason of the frictionalengagement of the O-ring gasket l4 and the flat gasket 16, thepuncturing member is normally retained in position Within the well 4spaced from thethin wall 2.

In order to provide for the. passageof fluid from the container afterthe thinzwall'lsection i has been punctured, the puncturing member skirt1 is made with a fluid passage I1 extending through the lower endthereof to its hollow center" material although for some uses a papercapwill The container I may be filled andisealed at'its" lower end 20in anysuitable manner such as disclosed in Yejeski PatentlN'o'. 2,189,852,inzwhich an apparatus is described for charging the conitainerand'closing the fillingopeningbyworking the material adjacent to'form'aclosure.

In using'the container I; its outlet opening 4 isthreadedlyengaged'with'any suitable discharge means such as the tire valve 6,which moves inwardly against the flat washer IE to urge the puncturingmemberskirt' I inwardly so that the enlarged pointed head'9 of thepuncturing member '8"penetrates the thin wall portion 2; The

stored'pressure fluid'medium is released t'hrough' the, opening formedin the wall 2 and escapes past the reduced portion I of" the puncturingmember'through the aperture I T andinto thev discharge. device thelo-ring gasket I41 and the flatlgasket l5 providing a seal tov preventthe escape of the pressure medium.

It. is thus apparent that a stored pressure. fluid mediurmcontainerhasbeen provided of economical construction which may be'discardedafterl beingused.

While the invention hasbeendisclosedand: illustrated, with reference toa. specific: embodi-.-

ment: thereof, it will beunderst'ood thatnother embodimentsmayrberesorted to without: depart-- ingrfrom the invention;

Therefore, the formof the invention as set out. above should beconsidered as illustrative and not as limiting-the scope'of thefollowing claims.

I'claim':

l. A stored pressure-fluid medium' tire infi'ator container having-aportion of'its' integral wall of decreased thickness for the'easy-punctur-ing thereof-and adaptedto be attached'to athreaded tirevalve stem, the integral w-allof the container extended outwardly aboutthe weakened portion to-provide anoutlet for the container, a puncturingmember, andiaguiding extension for the; puncturing member slidable.within the outlet; thepuncturing memberandthe guiding extension forming,a unitary, assembly, and fluid: passage means extending through: theguiding, extension; theinner surfaceof the outer end of theoutletthreaded to. engage. withthe tire valve. stem, the inner surface of theinner end'of the outlet providing a surface for the slidab'le engagementof. the guiding extension for the puncturing member,.the inward'movementof the tire valve'stem adaptedto move the guiding extension tocarrythepuncturingmember inwardly to puncture the wall of reduced thicknessfor the release of the storedrpressure .medium, whereby fluid isreleased fromtthe container without an outward movement of thepuncturing member.

2. A stored pressure fluid medium tire infiator container having aportion of its integral wall of! decreased; thickness for the easypuncturing thereof and adapted to be attached to a threaded tire valvestem, theintegral wall of the container extended outwardly about theweakened portion to provide anoutlet for the container, a puncturingmember, a guiding extension for the puncturing-member slid-able withinthe outlet, the extension having an annular gasket recess thereabout,and an O-ring gasket in the recess, the inner surface of the outer endofthe outlet threaded to engage with a the valve stem', the inward-movement of the tire valve'stem' adaptedto move'the' guiding extension tocarry the puncturingmem ber inwardly to puncture the wall of. reducedthickness to release t'helstored pressuremedium:

31 A stored pressure fluid medium tire inflator container having aportion of its integral wall of decreased thickness for the easy"puncturing; thereof 'and'adaptedto be atta'ch'ed'to a threaded" tirevalve stem, the integral wall of the container" extended outwardlyaboutth'e weakened'portion to provide an outletfor the container,a'punctura inggmem'ber, a guidingextension for the'puncturing memberslidable'within'the outlet, the extension having an" annular gasketrecess therea'bout; anJU-ring gasket in the recess, theouter'endoi'.thev extension recessed'to form a se'cond'rece'ss', and a semi-flexibleringin the second recess to; frictionally hold the extension inpositioniin' the" outlet', the inner surface offtheoutlet'threaded toengage with the tireval've stem; the inward movement of. thetire valve.stem'adapted 'te'move the guiding extension to carry the puncturingvmemberlinwa'rdly to puncture the wall of reduced thickness to releasethe stored pressureime'd'ium'.

4. A stored pressure fiuid'medium-tire inflator' container having aportion of" its integral wall of decreased thickness for theeasypuncturing thereof, the: integral wall of the" container ex.-tendedoutwardly about the weakenedportion to provide an .outletfor'thelcontainer, a puncturin member, .atguiding extension ofcylindrical'shape for the puncturing: member, an annular gasket recessabout the extension, an O-ring in the: annular gasket recess, theouteizen'd'of'the extension recessed to form a second. recess; anxtasemi-flexible ring, in the second" recess,',th'e extension having a.hollow center and having. an aperture atits lower end,. the outletthreaded to receive: a threaded end o'fia tireva'lve' stem; thesemi-flexible ring adapted to engage with the threadediportion of theoutlet to 'holdthe'exten sion inposition.

References- Cited in the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTSSwitzerland July'lfi, I932

